NEWS + ANALYSIS

A new online tax calculator for Peruvians, developed by Contribuyentes por Respeto (CpR), has been officially adopted as standard by the SUNAT tax collecting agency, the Peruvian equivalent of the American Internal Revenue Service.

Libertarianism.org, a project of the Cato Institute, has long published introductory-level books and e-books for those new to classical liberal ideas. These publications, ranging in topics from trade to the American Revolution, provide high-quality synopses of many of the ideas and events which have shaped the ideas of classical liberalism. And now, the Cato Institute is offering the opportunity to translate, print, distribute, and even sell their own editions of several Cato-published books — at no cost for reprint rights, provided that the editions must be published outside the United States in a language other than English.

The 2016 University of Pennsylvania “Global Go-To Think Tank Index” is a comprehensive survey of over 7,500 scholars, journalists, donors, and policy makers which ranks more than 6,500 think tanks around the world for their effectiveness and influence. Three Atlas Network partner organizations in Uruguay received recognition by the index for their efforts to promote freedom in their country and throughout South America.

Libertarian Club Libek, an Atlas Network partner based in Belgrade, Serbia, celebrated the release of the English language translation of Abusing the People: Global Challenges of Authoritarian Populism on March 8. The book is an in-depth examination of the rise of authoritarian populism in twelve countries, among them Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Turkey, the United States, and Venezuela. The publication is comprised of a collection of essays and interviews with authors from around the world.

TechFreedom, an Atlas Network partner focused on technological progress and policy in the United States, has seen success in highlighting the importance of robust First and Fourth Amendment protections to help continue the advance of a free and open Internet. By publishing white papers, appearing in podcasts, and bringing attention to instances of government attempting to subvert a free and open Internet, TechFreedom does vital work in drawing public attention to issues of free expression online.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe’s former company, GreenTech Automotive, which he founded in 2009, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Cited in the bankruptcy petition are 76 articles by Watchdog.org which highlighted the level of crony practices by the company. Watchdog, a website dedicated to providing oversight of state governments, is a project of the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, an Atlas Network partner.

In your work, do you struggle with communications conflicts or staff turnover? Is employee morale and absenteeism a problem? Do teams in your organization work in silos, unaware of and unconcerned with how their work affects and is affected by others? Are your people focused on day-to-day routines to the exclusion of thinking about the future, the results of their actions, or your unifying goals? If so, you probably know that you have a problem with your corporate culture.

Students For Liberty’s (SFL) annual conference in Washington D.C., LibertyCon — formerly known as the International Students for Liberty Conference (ISFLC) — was once again a resounding success in 2018. The conference, hosted from March 2-4, was in part sponsored by Atlas Network and featured the works of Atlas Network’s partners around the world.

In June 2005, the Supreme Court of the United States delivered the infamous ruling in Kelo v. City of New London. Now, thirteen years later, the efforts of Susette Kelo and the Institute for Justice (IJ) — an Atlas Network partner dedicated to defending individual rights in court — will be portrayed in the upcoming feature film Little Pink House.

Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), an Atlas Network partner based in Washington D.C., has been published in the Harvard Business Review online and in the March-April 2018 print magazine, a significant event as this marks one of the first times the publication has featured a nonprofit like AEI.

The San Juan-based Fundación Libertad Puerto Rico is ceasing operations due to the devastation of Hurricane Maria and the toll it took on its staff who have been almost entirely forced to relocate from the island to financially sustain themselves.

The Price of Peace: A Personal Exploration by Johan Norberg, a new documentary produced by Free to Choose Media, a project of Atlas Network partner Free to Choose Network, is set to release to public television stations around the United States on March 23, 2018. The one-hour documentary explores the costs and advantages of deterrence as a strategy to promote peace, by examining societies and historical examples from around the world.

The political environment in Ukraine has been ripe for reform since the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution that ousted Russian-aligned president Viktor Yanukovych. Seeking to end many of the stifling taxes and barriers to entry which have negatively impacted the economic freedom of the Ukrainian people since the days of the Soviet Union, Kyiv-based Atlas Network partner Ukrainian Economic Freedoms Foundation (UEFF) has overseen legislative victories which have dramatically cut taxes and simplified bureaucratic processes for Ukrainian citizens.

The Smith Fellowship, one of the hallmark programs of Atlas Network’s Leadership Academy, brings up-and-coming leaders from around the world to Washington, D.C., where they receive varied training in marketing, fundraising, management, and other relevant skills needed for getting nascent think tanks off the ground.
A recent alumnus of Atlas Network’s Smith Fellowship, Jordan Williams, is executive director of New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union (NZTU). Atlas Network’s associate director of training, Tarun Vats, recently caught up with Jordan to discuss the challenges in New Zealand, how NZTU hopes to make a difference, and how the Smith Fellowship has created new opportunities to help Jordan in his work.

An alumnus of Atlas Network’s Smith Fellowship in 2017, Basanta Adhikari, is founding chairperson of Bikalpa – An Alternative, a partner organization based in Biratnagar, Nepal. Atlas Network’s associate director of training, Tarun Vats, recently caught up with Basanta at Asia Liberty Forum 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia to discuss the challenges in Nepal, how Bikalpa aims to remove the barriers to entrepreneurship in his country, and how the Smith Fellowship has created new opportunities to help Basanta in his work.

For the first time in the history of modern Mexican democracy a credible, relevant, and effective anticorruption legal infrastructure exists. It holds Mexican politicians accountable and keeps them honest from the get-go, all thanks to Instituto Mexicano para la Competitividad (IMCO)’s revolutionary “3for3” campaign. As of July 18, 2017, it is required by law that every politician must publish his or her declarations of assets, taxes paid, and possible conflicts of interest.